His Last Wish
by kaywritethat
Summary: Karlyn Faust saw him the day she was attacked in the Underground. After years of training to become stronger and losing everything, she meets him again much to her dismay. Little did she know he would impact her life more than she could ever imagine.
1. Chapter 1

The Underground. A city much forgotten by the surface where all sorts of criminals and bums breed and flourish. A place where people can die and be easily forgotten. Sketchy business deals and crimes occur on a daily basis, so much so that it is all considered normal. A person walking down the streets is bound is see a beating or a suspicious exchange happening. Poverty and famine flood this hidden city and sickness from the lack of exposure to sunlight is extremely common. Families residing in the underground have it worst of all. Some have had the taste of having a normal life on the surface, and after moving to the underground for a variety of reasons can say that it is the epitome of a living hell.

I, for one can not vouch for that since both my parents and I have lived here for our entire lives. We, along with my younger brother Killian, lived in a small, clay building near the edge of the city. It was connected to two other dark buildings that were abandoned but were used as temporary bases by various gangs and criminals. I would constantly look out the single window of our home to find strange looking men with knives and other weapons enter the buildings next to us. I always wondered why they didn't bother us, but whenever I asked either of my parents, I received no answer. Across the road from our house was another row of buildings that used to house people and businesses. Most of them were now worn out and not in condition for use, otherwise a person would risk having stones or wooden boards crashing on their head. Despite this, my brother and I would occasionally explore the buildings since there weren't many opportunities for fun in the underground. We found various items such as cups or silverware and brought them back home for use. My parents were queasy at first by the thought of us wandering the obsolete structures, but upon receiving useful products from our trips and facing our stubbornness, they learned to accept it.

My mother worked as a maid for one of the higher-ups of the underground, among many other women. I'd complain to her, asking why she worked for thugs who got rich through unethical means, but she'd retort by saying that she is lucky to have a job at all in the underground. My father worked as a bartender in one of the taverns near our house, working most of the day since it was a popular spot. He, like my mother, would return home tired and without much stamina to do anything. This left my brother and I to take care of the house ourselves, forcing us to learn responsibility at a young age.

One day, while I was washing the pile of dirty dishes collected from breakfast and lunch, Killian whispered my name.

"Karlyn." He paused from wiping the wet dishes dry. I continued with my work, glancing at him. Whenever he spoke, it was filled with energy and jubilation, despite our current state. This time I could hear a hint of unusual sorrow in his voice.

"Killian?" He looked up at me, revealing his slightly distressed face.

"Is it always going to be like this?"

His vague question rang in my mind, but I immediately had a clear understanding as to what he was referring to.

"I've read some of the books from Father's collection about the surface. Apparently it's filled with green plants and it's not always dark up there. And when you look up you it's blue as far as the eye can see." He picked up another bowl and carefully wiped it with the cloth.

"Yes, I've read Father's books too when I was your age." I continued finishing up the last of the dishes.

"Do you think we're ever going to live on the surface?"

I didn't want to answer, fully knowing the expenses needed to be granted passage to the surface. Even if that was plausible, a person would still need to be granted citizenship, otherwise they would be thrown right back into the Underground. Still, I didn't want to disappoint my hopeful younger brother.

"I think so," I replied with a smile. "Mother and Father both have good jobs and if we save up, we can pay for a life on the surface."

Killian's face immediately lit up and a giant grin grew on his face.

"Really?"

I nodded and dried my hand on a towel before patting his head.

"People on the surface are much cleaner than us, so you better start training or else they'll send you right back here!"

A hint of fear showered his eyes but was soon replaced with a nod full of determination as he fiercely dried the rest of the plates.

While we dealt with the rest of our household chores, Killian continued talking about the surface, babbling on about the three walls and the ferocious titans on the outside.

"When we go up to the surface, I'm going to join the military and fight titans!"

I hid a slight giggle that escaped from my mouth as I watched him fumble with the broom in his hands.

"How are you going to wield swords if you can't even handle a broom?"

"I-I can! Watch!" He tried to show off, quickly sweeping dust from the floor when he immediately dropped the broom again. Chuckling, I walked over to him, picking up the stick from the ground and placing it in his hands. He blushed, feeling embarrassed and defeated.

"I just want to show them that I can be useful. That I can be useful on the surface."

I smiled and kissed him head. "I know. And you will."

The days went on like this without much variation. Whenever Killian and I were home alone, we tried to avoid any thugs who roamed the area. If we heard any noises from outside, we would quickly lock our door and cover the window with a tapestry. Eventually, this system did not work when I was sweeping the pavement just outside of our house on an afternoon and saw a gang approaching. Just as I was about to quickly head for our door, one of the members spotted me called out. I froze, not wanting to lead the thugs into our house where Killian was.

"Hey, you!" I looked up to see a better look of the group that was closing in on me. The men held knives and had mischievous smiles on their faces. One of them grabbed me and pushed me into the rest of the gang.

"Look what we found, boss." He chuckled maliciously. "Think she would be a good amount on the market?"

"L-let go of me!" I tried to escape from his hold but his grip only tightened, paining my wrist.

The man who seemed in charge grabbed me by the chin and examined me, moving my head around. My heart pounded, not knowing what was going to happen to me. I felt completely powerless against the men before me.

"Maybe she can earn us a quick buck."

The gang chuckled as I stared at all of them, horrified. I turned my head, noticing one member who wasn't smiling like the rest. Instead, he observed them from a small distance with a look of disgust. Thinking he could help me, I was about to call out to him when I heard a door open behind me. Shocked, I turned my head enough to see Killian come running out of the door.

"You thugs let her go!" He was holding a broom as a makeshift weapon, threatening the men with it.

"Killian! No!" I screamed.

The gang switched their attention from me to Killian, and a couple of them set after him. He angrily swung the end of the broomstick at their faces, only for it to be caught by one of the thugs. I watched in agony as they they kicked him in the stomach and shoved him into the ground.

"Someone needs to teach you a lesson about hitting strangers." the man barked, kicking his sides.

"No! Please! He's just a child!" I cried out, tears rolling down my face. I tried to kick the man holding me but was only met with a punch to the stomach. I cringed in pain as I watched the thugs pick up Killian's limp body through my tears. I turned to the thug who seemed to have some amount of mercy, only to find him leaning on the houses across from ours, arms crossed and eyes to the ground. He seemed to not care about my brother's or my predicament. Losing hope, I stopped resisting their hold and watched my tears drip onto the ground.

"Someone, please…" I whispered.

Suddenly I heard yelling in the distance. I could feel the man holding me turn to see what all the ruckus was about, and shockingly felt his hold on me loosen. The yelling got louder, and at last the thug had completely let go of my arm. I fell to the ground with a thump, feeling the pain across my entire body. Looking up, I watched as the man who beat Killian placed him down as well, and I quickly crawled over to him.

"Killian! Oh, Killian." I bawled, resting his head on my hand and grabbing his face with the other. I was relieved to feel him breathing but he was still unconscious. He had bruises on his arms and legs but he looked like he was going to be alright. I studied the direction where our savior seemed to be coming from and was surprised to see my father running in our direction.

"What did I say about messing with my family?" I heard Father yell, my eyes widening.

"W-We're sorry sir! We didn't know they were you children!" one of the thugs nervously spat out, backing away.

"You didn't know they were my children? They're right in front of my house!" He reached my brother and I, kneeling down then wrapping his arms around us.

"We're sorr-"

"Get out of my sight." Father hissed at the gang.

"Y-yes sir!" the leader choked, signaling the rest of the thugs to walk away. I looked up at them and to my dad, seeing how furious he was. My eyes then wandered to the unusual thug who was leaning against the wall earlier. I observed as he stood up for a moment, staring at us with what I could feel was a tinge of remorse before concealing it with a hard expression and walking off with the rest of the group. My heart hadn't stopped beating violently in my chest until the gang was completely out of sight. Father watched them depart as well with squinted eyes before helping me and carrying my brother inside our home.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 _Quick A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone who has favorited and reviewed the story so far! It means a lot and helps motivate me to continue writing. Also, in regards to the schedule of new chapters coming in, I'm hoping to get one done at least once a week. That's it, enjoy!_

I sat in one of the chairs of our dining room table as my father laid Killian on a couch, examining his wounds. After taking off his shirt, he reached into a cabinet grabbing a cotton ball and some sort of substance, applying it to any lesions on his skin. Without looking up at me, he asked, "What happened?"

I explained the entire incident to him, from the time the gang caught me as I was sweeping the front of our home to when Killian barged out, attempting to save me. My father kept silent and continued treating my brother's wounds, his eyes dark. I was still shaken by our recent encounter, slowly grabbing my own hand to stop it from trembling and breathing heavily. Once I finally calmed myself down, something about my father's exchange with the gang suddenly became alarming.

"Do you know those people?" I spurted out, not realizing the words came out of my mouth. I watched my father lower his head but not answer.

"They called you 'sir' and listened to your commands like you were some sort of authority figure. Gangs like that would usually beat anyone in their way."

Father grabbed bandages and began wrapping Killian's arms with it. I got up angrily and approached him, determination in each of my footsteps, wanting to know the truth.

"How do you know those people?" I demanded.

Father sighed, clipping of the excess of Killian's bandages and putting it away. He finally looked up at me, defeat clear in his eyes.

"Long ago, before you were born, I was once apart of that gang. I worked hard to become one of the higher ups and was highly respected." My eyes widened in horror. I glanced over at Killian, wondering if he could hear our conversation but realized that he was still unconscious. My father continued.

"Once I met your mother, everything changed and I knew that I wanted to start a family with her. Being in a gang would prevent me from doing that, so I withdrew myself." He looked to Killian and then back to me. "I left them for you two, Karlyn."

I stared at him in disbelief, gaping my mouth. I've always thought that the gangs of the Underground were the filth of society, harming other people for their own gains. For my entire life, I thought that my father believed the same, but that ideology soon drowned with his words.

"How, how could you?" I shuddered. Without realizing it, I grabbed his wrist in anger.

"You used to be with people like them? People who just tried to kidnap Killian and I for some quick cash?" I cried out. "We always talked about the horrors those monsters do but all this time you were one of them!" My father's eyes widened by my words.

"Karlyn." He grabbed my arm that was holding him and pulled me into a hug.

"No!" I pushed him away as hard as I could, stumbling backwards. I felt my elbow scrape against our rough stone floor and flinched in pain, seeing the blood slowly seep through the gashes.

"K-Karlyn, please let me help you." he grabbed the bandages from the drawer and rushed over to me. I quickly lifted myself up before he got to me, my face filled with a mix of pain and anger.

"Don't touch me." I yanked the bandages out of his hands and sat on the couch next to Killian, wrapping my arm with the stringy material. I watched from the corner of my eye as my father looked down at us. I couldn't tell what kind of expression he was making, but in a few moments he stepped out of the room, dragging his footsteps behind him. Once he was completely gone, I finished up with the bandage and kneeled in front of Killian, holding his face. Suddenly I could feel his face twitch and I was relieved to see his eyes slowly open.

"Karlyn…?" He immediately tried to sit up, but was met with a sharp pain at his side and was forced to lay back down.

"Hey, hey don't work yourself so much." I helped him back onto the couch.

"What happened?"

"Father came and drove the thugs away." Killian's eyes widened in surprise.

"Woah, really? How'd he do that?"

I paused for a moment, wondering if I should tell him the truth. I decided against it since I knew it would break Killian if he knew Father was once in that gang; he's always looked up to him.

"He ran in with a knife and sliced the guy's hand off of me." I explained enthusiastically. "Then, he ran over to the guy carrying you and punched him so hard he got knocked out! The other thugs had to drag him away with them." Killian's eyes sparkled at my story.

"Wow! Father's amazing!"

"Yes, he is." I agreed, my true feelings hidden.

Killian laid there on our ratty sofa, his face full of contentment. I took a look at our clock above the dining table and realized it was getting late.

"You should get to sleep, Killian. You need to rest on a proper bed."

"Oh, yeah." Before he could get up, I stopped him and nudged him back into the couch.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"You can't get up on your own. I'll carry you."

"What? No! I'm not gonna let my sister carry me!"

"Oh, yes you are."

Despite his complaints and whining, I eventually got him to allow me to carry him. He blushed as I placed my hands beneath his knees and back, then lifted him up. I felt a small pain in my abdomen once he was completely hoisted on my arms, but it wasn't enough for me to drop him.

"Karlyn, are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine." I smiled to reassure him, walking towards our room. Since our home was so small, it only had two bedrooms and Killian and I were forced to share one. Upon entering it, one could only see a desk, a small dresser, and two single-sized beds, placed next to each other. I slowly lowered Killian onto the bed to the left, moving his body into a comfortable position. He pouted, still embarrassed but I only giggled at his cuteness.

"Thank you." I said quietly, kneeling down by his bed and moving tufts of hair from his face with my index finger.

Killian raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For trying to save me."

He was taken aback for a moment before smiling proudly; however, it was short lasted after I pinched his ear.

"You better not do anything like that again, though!" I scolded.

He laughed meekly, then looked up at me with loving eyes. I tenderly smiled back and placed my hand on his cheek, rubbing it with my thumb. I knew that despite all of the darkness in the Underground, he was my shining light that was going to help me get through it. It was at that moment when the feeling of almost losing Killian hit me like a rock. After I bid him goodnight, blew out the candle, and got into my own bed, I couldn't help but think of what would have happened if Father hadn't come to save us. Even though I was still angry by his recent revelation, I was extremely thankful that he arrived at the time he did; otherwise, Killian and I would have experienced a whole new level of hell. I shifted my position so that I was on my back, staring at the ceiling. Memories of the recent attack flooded my mind and I was painfully reminded of how it felt watching the men beat Killian's body, not being able to help him. I quivered as I turned my head slightly to see Killian's sleeping silhouette in the dark. It was then that I realized what my true fear in the Underground was: it wasn't being attacked or learning that my father was in a malicious gang. It was the feeling of being helpless, not having any influence on whether I or my loved ones lived or died. I felt like exploding when I watched Killian's limp body be kicked, but it wasn't because of his pain that I felt that way, rather it was my inability to do anything about it. Whether that made me a bad person I didn't know, but there was one thing I knew for sure: I never wanted to feel that way again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 _A/N: Sorry this chapter is a few days late, I'm out of the country right now and it's been hard finding time to write. The next chapter may be a bit late too, but I'll try my best! Enjoy!_

The next morning, I woke up sluggish and quickly discovered that the agonizing pain coursing throughout my body made it very difficult to move. I fought through the soreness, slowly lifting myself up and sat on my bed. Looking behind me, I noticed Killian still sleeping to his hearts content and laughed when he let out a huge snore. Doing so caused me to remember what I was thinking about last night and the determination to gain the ability to fight back flooded my mind. Pulling myself up from the bed, I made my way over to the two candles on the dresser and lit them with flint. Afterwards I walked out of our room and into our dark bathroom where another candle had to be lit. After taking a warm bath and examining all of the bruises from yesterday's fiasco, I put on fresh clothes and felt like today was a new day. Now I was in the kitchen, seeing the mess my mother made after coming home late after work and making a quick meal. While I was washing the dishes I heard footsteps behind me and could already tell who it was by its pattern. I didn't look back and continued with my work.

"Karlyn, we need to talk." I ignored my father and rinsed the soap out of the rest of the plates. He came up close behind me and rested a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I should've have told you the truth earlier but I wanted you and your brother to see me as a strong and righteous man. I did what I did because I was weak and I thought it was the only way to survive in this hell hole." He paused and took a deep breath. "Meeting your mother and having you and Killian made me realize that you three were all I wanted in life. I regret everything I did in the past and wish I could take it all back."

I finished washing the dishes and dried my hands on the cloth hanging on our cupboard. Turning around, I was met with my father's desperate eyes and my own filled with sorrow.

"I just can't believe you did all those things." I could feel the tears begin to collect in my eyes, despite my efforts to keep them in. "I've always thought that we were one of the few good people in the Underground. Learning about you being in a gang crushed that. But…" I looked up at my father with glistening eyes. "I understand. I guess that if I grew up without parents I'd consider joining a gang too." I remembered how my father told me how his mother died giving birth to him on the streets. I never realized the impact it had on his life until now.

My father made a soft smile and pulled my into a hug. "Oh, Karlyn. Thank you." he placed a hand on my head. I could feel his head turn, probably looking down the hall at our room. "Does Killian…?"

"No, I didn't tell him. I thought it best."

Father nodded in our embrace and let go, patting my head. "I want to make this up to you. You've been so understanding."

Wiping away my tears, I looked up to my him, already having something in mind.

"Actually, I've been meaning to ask you something." I replied with determination. My father raised an eyebrow.

"I want you to teach me how to use a knife."

He stared at me with disbelief, shocked by what I asked for and scratched his head.

"Are you sure about that Karlyn? That can be dangerous."

"What we went through yesterday was a hundred times more dangerous than learning how to wield a knife." I contorted. "I want to be able to protect myself and Killian.

My father gave me a doubtful look before walking into our living room and lifting our rug. I raised an eyebrow, confused.

"What are you doing?"

"Grabbing the knife."

"We can't use a kitchen knife?" My father laughed.

"Good luck trying to cut someone with the dull side of those things."

I nodded and watched as he lifted a secret compartment out of our clay floor, pulling out a wooden box. He opened it in front of me and I was astounded to see a small, waved dagger. The blade gleamed from the light and each curve made it seem even more intimidating than a traditional edge. It was connected to a wooden handle with a snake carved near the end.

"Wow..." I tried to grab it from the box when my father shut it closed.

"Now that I think about it, I think we should start with a dull knife. I don't want you cutting yourself with this thing."

I wanted to protest at first, but ended up agreeing because of my inexperience with wielding knives except when cooking. After placing the wooden box back into the compartment, we walked back into the kitchen and Father grabbed an old, dull kitchen knife from a drawer. He began showing me how to use it and how to cut for different targets. He also explained about how to dodge certain attacks in case the enemy also had a knife. After a while of this, he held out his hand with the blade and asked if I was ready to try it for myself. Nodding, I grabbed the knife and felt its weight lower my hand. Before swinging it, I knew I wanted to ask Father about the secret knife that I never knew about.

"That dagger was the one I used when I was apart of the Viper gang." He sighed.

"Why would you give me that one?"

"I thought that if you used the blade for good unlike me, it would help me be in peace with my past. It would be a symbol for my focus on the gang being changed to protecting you and Killian."

I didn't know what to think about what he said at first, but everything started to make sense and the thought of using his old dagger weighed lighter in my mind. I stared at the blade in my hand, and even though it was dull, I was scared to swing it. This would mark my first time handling a weapon intended to cause other's harm. Just looking at the blunt edge sent shivers down my spine, but I slowly relaxed myself by taking deep breaths. I've never seen myself as the person to hurt people, but in the back of my mind I knew it was inevitable. Living in this forsaken place forced people to do so. Tightening my grip on the handle, I looked from the knife to my father and he nodded. Then I swung.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Two years have passed since my brother and I had been attacked by the Viper gang. It has been mostly peaceful since then besides the occasional scream or gunshot, and whenever that happened Killian and I would hide in our house to the quickest of our ability. My training has progressed, and I'm now at the point where I'm building strength and muscle more than anything else. Father has taught me as best he could and tells me that I have improved tremendously, going on to say that I possess a natural talent. I didn't believe he was serious until he went out and bought me a rice punching bag and leather gloves and gave me the dagger he kept stashed in our living room floor. Mother was against my hard training at first, but after hearing of what happened with the gang, she reluctantly accepted it. The punching bag is set in the room I share with Killian and I use it twice a day, in the morning and the afternoon. Everytime I do use it, I can see Killian from the corner of my eye watching in amazement, making me smile and punch harder. After I'm done with my session, he occasionally goes up to it himself and tries punching, only to retract his hand in pain. He also watches me train with my dagger and asks constantly if he could hold it, to which I always answer a definite no. Seeing Killian with a broom is one thing, but giving him a knife is just asking for a whole lot of trouble.

It was on a faithful evening when I was at my punching bag, pulling on my gloves and rotating my head from side to side to get rid of any knots. I could already hear Killian running to watch me and by then I was hitting the bag as hard as I could. Father stopped by the room where Killian was and I could tell he was smiling proudly. Thirty minutes later, I refrained from punching and hung my head, exhausted from the workout. After removing my gloves and placing them on top of my dresser, I grabbed a cloth on my bed and wiped my sweaty forehead. I looked at the clock and knew my mother would be coming home soon, so I decided that I would be nice and prepare her a meal. Killian was already running past me to get to the rice bag and I chuckled, patting his head when our path's crossed. After taking a quick bath I walked into the kitchen to see Father already starting on tomato soup. I could see him dropping pieces of vegetable onto the floor when he was chopping them.

"Need some help?" He looked over his shoulder and smiled.

"You know I do."

Together we finished making four servings of the soup and I prepared the table for dinner. By this time Killian was done with the punching bag and came running into the kitchen, complaining that his knuckles hurt. After inspecting his hands and reassuring him, the three of us sat at the dining table and waited for Mother to come home so we could start to eat. The minutes passed by and she still wasn't home like expected.

"She's probably just running a bit late." Father told us. "You should start to eat your soup before it gets cold."

We slowly ate our soup while awaiting Mother's arrival, but to our dismay at the end of our meal she still wasn't home. I was starting to get worried and asked my dad why she would be this late.

"Maybe she's finishing up cleaning rooms."

"Are you sure? Mother's never been gone this late."

"Father, where is she?" Killian interrupted.

"Don't worry you two. She'll be home soon."

I looked at the untouched bowl of soup across the table and couldn't help imagining the worst. I breathed deeply, internalizing my dark thoughts and got up to start on washing the dishes. My worries were confirmed when we were done cleaning the kitchen and it was midnight with no sign of my mother. I looked to my father who now also shared a troubled expression.

"You two should get to bed." He said gently to my brother and I.

"What about Mother?" Killian anxiously asked.

"I'm going to go to her work and make sure everything's okay." He walked to the closet and grabbed a dark, worn out coat.

"Are you sure? It gets dangerous outside this late at night."

"Then your mother is going to need an escort through said danger." He pulled on the hood of his jacket, coughing from the dust. Killian and I looked at each other nervously and kept still.

Before he was out the door, he looked back us seriously.

"Didn't I tell you guys to go to bed?"

"Father…" my voice trembled through my fear. "I don't know if you should go. Maybe we should wait a bit more, I don't feel good about this."

He only smiled reassuringly and walked over to the two of us, placing each of his hands on one of our shoulders.

"I can take care of myself, don't worry about me. I'll be back with your mother soon, okay? You need to get some rest."

I realized that we couldn't convince him and that he was set on going out to find Mother. I offered to give him the dagger, but he refused saying that it was mine now. Instead, he brought a normal kitchen knife, insistent that he wouldn't come face to face with any danger.

"I'll be back by time you wake up." He assured at the frame of the door.

"Be safe."

"I know, I know. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." We said simultaneously. He closed the door behind him and Killian and I were left in silence, only the flickering of candles around the room making any sound. Killian's anxious expression suddenly brightened with hope, contrasting my own.

"Don't worry Karlyn, they'll be fine! Even if they do get into trouble, Father will beat them up just like that time when he saved us."

I could only nod at what he said, knowing the true circumstances of the situation he was referring to. Together we went to our bedroom and laid in our beds like our father instructed. I found myself tossing and turning on my mattress, having a difficult time falling asleep. The last thing I remembered was enduring through Killian's incessant snoring when all of a sudden my eyes swung wide open, awakening from a short slumber. Realizing I must have fallen asleep, I immediately got up and ran out the room to check if our parents returned home last night. My head was pounding when I looked into the room and saw no one there.

"Crap." I thought and hurried to the living room and kitchen. It was exactly as it was when Killian and I went to sleep, and at this moment it felt like my heart was trying to violently beat itself out of my chest. I knew sometime went wrong. After running back to my room, I awoke Killian and explained how neither of our parents made it home.

"What? What happened? Where's father?" His drowsiness disappeared and was completely replaced with anxiety.

"I don't know, but we need to go look for them now."

"You're bringing me with you?"

"Like hell I'm going to leave you here by yourself. But I'm going to need you to do exactly as I say." I ordered sternly.

He gave me a look of understanding and got up to change his clothes and put on boots. I grabbed a small, leather sack used to carry my dagger and put on my own shoes, telling Killian to move faster. Within five minutes we were out of the house, following a trail we knew led to the house of my mother's boss. We moved quickly through the dimly lit streets, our feet splashing through puddles of musty water on the brick floor.

"Karlyn! Wait!" Killian was getting short- breathed as we entered an ally. I slowed down my pace allowing him to catch up.

"A-Are they going to be okay?" His voices cracked with hopelessness dripping from his words.

"I don't know Killian, I really don't know." I answered frantically, catching my own breath. "Just follow me until we get to-"

I stopped dead in my tracks, hoping I imagined what I just saw from the corner of my eye in that dark ally. My brother made an abrupt stop right after, asking what happened.

"Killian. Don't move." I demanded, my voice having no tone or emotion. He did as I said and stood still, trembling in the darkness. I shifted my body to one side, turning my head around to see two black silhouettes leaning on the wall behind us.

'It could be anything.' I thought. 'I'm only imagining the worst.'

I slowly stepped closer to the ill-lit figures and grabbed a small match box from my pocket, dragging the head of one across the side of the box. Once I exposed what I saw to the fire, I felt the blood drain from my face and was too shocked to move anything but let out a quiet whimper. I stood there, mouth gaped and eyes wide looking at the cadavers of my mother and father. They were leaning on each other, mouths wide and throats sliced by a knife. My father's face looked bloodier than my mother's which suggested that he was putting up a fight against whoever did this to them. Flies began swarming their corpses, and upon looking at my father's hand I could see the kitchen knife he had brought, lying next to him. Looking into their open eyes I could only see grey orbs that were looking at nothing.

I couldn't take my eyes of them, too horrified to move a single muscle in my body. I felt something drip on my cheek and realized my face was getting flooded by my silent tears. I pried my gaze from my parent's bodies and examined the wall when my brother called out, asking what was going on in a panicked voice.

"Stay exactly where you are and don't move!" I accidentally bawled, trying to keep my composure. My breath skipped for a moment, but I continually tried to keep it down. I drifted my attention back to the wall and shined it with my match, revealing the word "traitor" written in thick blood as well as the snake insignia of the Viper gang. I realized that this must have had to do with my father's previous membership with the gang, and knowing that the people who did this were the same group who attacked Killian and I filled me with rage. I got stronger to protect my family, but here I was staring down at the bodies of my parents who were killed by the same people.

"M-mother?" I quickly turned around to see Killian now standing behind me, eyes wide and tears already dripping down his face.

"Killian! Don't look!" He turned to me.

"What happened?!" he screamed into my face, eliciting a shiver throughout my entire body. I got up and shielded him from the disturbing scene in front of us.

"Please just… we need to get out of here now. Whoever killed them may still be nearby."

"Why would anyone kill them? They didn't do anything wrong." he cried into my shoulder. I felt his knees getting weak and had to keep him up with my own strength.

"I'll… I'll explain to you later, but please Killian we have to keep moving now!" He looked up at me with red, suspicious eyes.

"You know?"

I mentally cursed myself, not realizing I accidentally revealed my knowledge. I didn't want to respond to him at the moment and only turned my head, too ashamed to look at his face. He must have noticed because he quit looking at me with longing eyes, awaiting an answer.

"We can't just leave them here." he said sharply.

"I don't want to leave them here either, but we might have to-" I was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming from the side of the ally we came from. Alarmed, I grabbed Killian tightly and started running the other direction.

"What are you doing? Stop!"

"Shush! Those might be the people who killed them. And it it's not, they'll blame us for the murder."

"What, so we'll just go back home and pretend everything is normal?"

I ran silently for a moment and thought about it, quickly coming up with a reply.

"We can't go back home. That gang probably went there and raided it themselves after hearing of Father's death." I was expecting Killian to retort somehow, but instead I heard no response from him. We continued running out of the alley, now officially orphans and without a home. I felt completely numb when I was shoving through people on the streets, thinking the only thing that mattered now was preserving my life and Killian's. We stopped at an abandoned shack far out from where we found the corpses of our parents. I violently breathed in long gasps, desperate for air after working myself to the bone. Looking at Killian and his sullen expression, it hit me that everything has changed. We had nothing.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"I'm going out." I called out to my younger brother while putting on my dark, brown hood.

"Can you find me shoes? Mine have holes on the soles." He replied from the corner of the shack.

"I'll try, but I'm mostly going to find food." Killian didn't reply to this and slumped on the wooden chair, playing with his nails.

"I'm moving the plank now okay?" I said from the frame of the opening. "If you need more light you can light the candles in the front." He ignored me again, not even looking up. Seeing him, I could observe his long, dirtied hair and ripped up clothes revealing his skinny figure. His face was filled with grime and his eyes were empty with the bags under them becoming more apparent each day. It saddened me more than he knew to see him like this when just last year he was a jubilant, young boy. Ever since our parents death and learning the truth about our Father's past, he'd been unrecognizable. Frowning, I walked out the back and pushed the two-inch thick, 30 pound wooden plank to cover the opening of our newly made home. Afterwards I walked out of the alley and into the opening, striding down the streets with my eyes sharp, looking for any trash laying around to find food or other useful items.

Only a year has gone by since we discovered the bodies of our parents in that treacherous alley. When we ran from the footsteps coming after us into a small shack, we thought it would only be a temporary home. As it turns out, a small, abandoned shed was the best someone could do without a job in the Underground, so we decided to make it our permanent residence. I tried many, many times to find ways to earn decent money, but to no avail. All the occupations were either taken or had something to do with hurting people in the job description. Instead, Killian and I lived off of scraps and leftovers we found off the streets that barely kept us alive. Whenever I walked out of our home and saw my reflection on the dirtied glass of a business shop, I could examine how much weight I've lost in just a year. I'd still been trying to keep up my strength with any methods I could, but it was getting a lot harder to sustain it with my current state.

Walking down the road with my face hidden by my hood, I watched as a young woman threw out out a basket of bread into a bin outside her building. After she went inside, I quickly made my way to the garbage, pulling out six pieces of bread that were starting to mold, thinking I could cut off the bad parts later. I collected it all in a small sack I found floating in a puddle of dirt and water.

I walked on, noticing a familiar path that led to our old house. I remembered a time I sneaked by our past home out of curiosity and because Killian insisted, and sure enough, it was crawling with thugs. I recalled seeing all of our personal items out by the street and felt my anger rise when I saw gang members come in and out of our house, acting like it was theirs all along. I wanted to quickly grab some of our old belongings but knew it would be too dangerous with all the gang around. Instead, I turned and walked away, knowing I'd had to forget the decent life we used to live and get used to our new one.

I continued down the street, keeping my eye out for more food as I headed home when all of a sudden I started to hear a whooshing sound. Thinking I heard it above me, I looked up hoping to see what was making the strange noise.

"What the hell?" I thought, squinting at something I couldn't believe.

There was a young girl, younger than me, who was somehow flying through the buildings. Upon closer inspection, I could see how she was using some sort of contraption attached to her to shoot out grappling hooks onto buildings and pull her through the air. I watched in amazement as she came closer, but my face soon turned to a look of horror when a hook missed a building and she came tumbling down screaming, falling right on top of me and making me drop my sack with the food I'd collected.

"EEEK! I'm so sorry!" She said frantically, struggling to get up because of the device she was wearing. I saw her press a button on the handle and the lines connected to the hooks retracted back into the metal, but I cried in agony when one of the flying hooks hit me and tore a chunk of my tissue off the calf of my right leg. It left a huge gash and my leg started flooding with my own blood.

"Oh geez! I'm so, so sorry! Here let me help you!" She tried to pull me up but I slapped her hand away.

"GAH! No, you've already done enough!" I hissed, the pain of my leg getting overwhelming.

I glanced at the direction she came from and saw another flying person coming our way, except this time it was a tall man. He landed perfectly next to her, staring at my leg.

"Isabel! What did you do?!" He asked in an angry tone.

"I'm sorry! I accidentally fell on her and the hook cut her leg!" He gave her an irritated look then turned to me with compassionate eyes, pulling a cloth out of his pocket.

"Miss, I'm going to put pressure on the wound, okay?" I couldn't answer, too busy gritting my teeth to cope with the pain. He kneeled down beside me anyway, using the material to press on the wound over my trousers. I cringed, feeling the agony get even worse.

"It's still bleeding but that helped a bit."

Peeking, I saw the blood seeping out of my leg entirely soaking the cloth, and I felt like I was on the verge of fainting. The man took the cloth and wrapped it around my calf then asked if I could get up.

"I-I think so." I used my left leg to push myself up while the two strangers helped by pulling my arms and supporting my weight.

"Our home isn't far from here. I can treat your cut better there." The man said.

"No, no I have to get that food back to my brother." I panted, looking at the bread on the floor.

"You're losing too much blood, caring for your wound should be your top priority right now."

I knew he was right, so I stopped protesting and accepted the two as they carried me on both sides to prevent me from walking on my right leg. We walked very slowly, heading the opposite direction from where I was initially going to for my home. As we were walking down the filthy streets, the young girl apologized to me again sincerely.

"It's fine, thank you for helping me. Ah, I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier. I know it was an accident, I was a bit hysteric."

"It's ok! I'd be freaking out too if I had a giant gnash on my leg." The man on my right glared at her and she smiled nervously.

We eventually arrived to a set of buildings in a nude color and I assumed that one unit in the entire structure belonged to the two people holding me up. When we approached a set of stairs, I was afraid to think of how I was going to climb them with my injured leg.

"Okay, Isabel lift her up on your side." She did as she was told and rose the side of my good leg, allowing me to place my foot on the first step. The man stepped up, making sure to be high enough so that my right leg wouldn't hit the floor. We continued with this process until we were at the front door and the man used one hand to grab his keys and unlock it. Inside, I could see a nicely decorated and clean living room as well as a small kitchen in the back. I was pretty overwhelmed by it since I haven't seen a nice home like it in a long time.

I was helped over to a blue couch and lied down, groaning when my right leg was lifted on it.

"Go get the medical kit." The stranger told the girl named Isabel and she went off running. He kneeled down by the couch and removed the blood- soaked cloth from my calf.

"I'm going to raise your pants up, okay?" he asked and I nodded reluctantly. He then grabbed the hem by my right ankle and lifted it up, revealing the red gash. Isabel returned from the kitchen with a big, white box and handed it to the man. He pulled out a disinfecting substance and began applying it to the wound.

"Argh!" A burning sensation came over my leg when the liquid touched the cut. I flinched my head to the side causing a lock of my dark, brown hair to fall on my pain-ridden face. I opened my eyes after the pain subsided and saw the man place a white pad directly on the wound then wrapped it with a thick gauze.

"That should do it." He sighed, cutting of the extra bandage.

"Thank you." I expressed my gratitude wholeheartedly, sitting up and feeling my leg.

"There's no need. We did this to you and this is my apology." I smiled and looked up at him.

"My name is Farlan, by the way."

"I'm Isabel!"

"Karlyn. Nice to meet you, except I think it could've been under better circumstances." I laughed and they joined. I examined the strange machines that the two were still wearing around their waists.

"What are those?" I pointed out.

"They're called omni-directional mobility gear. It's what the military above ground uses against titans." Farlan explained while I listened intently.

"Oh, that's right! I remember hearing about them in a book I read." I studied the gear with even more curiosity than before, wondering how they came to possess them and thinking that Killian would be intrigued to hear about what I saw. Remembering about my brother, I slowly stood up paying extra attention to my right leg.

"Wait, Karlyn what are you doing?" Isabel asked. "You shouldn't be standing up."

"I'm fine now, you don't have to worry. I appreciate your hospitality and it was very nice to meet you two but I should really be getting back to my brother." I smiled. The two had a hint of doubt in their faces but I knew they could sense my determination because they didn't object. Just when I was about to head to the door, I heard a set of footsteps coming from the stairs on the right side of the room.

"Someone else lives here?" I asked.

"Yeah! His name is Levi-bro! He let me stay here and is teaching me how to use ODM gear." Isabel said proudly. "He would've come to my training today but he was too busy cleaning upstairs."

"No wonder your home is spotless." I complimented, genuinely impressed. Suddenly the voice coming down spoke.

"Why are you two back so early?" he asked. The man from beyond the room came into sight and my face immediately transformed from a look of friendliness to one of shock and disturbance. The man staring back at me was the same one I saw three years ago when Killian and I were attacked. The man who was with the gang that recently murdered my mother and father, then raided my home leaving my brother and I to fend for ourselves on the streets.

"You." I could feel the anger rapidly rising within me when I remembered everything those disgusting thugs did to us. I felt my hand drift to the small satchel on my right and grab my dagger. The man turned his attention from me to Farlan and Isabel.

"Why did you two bring a stranger in here?" he asked calmly with a hint of anger. My eyes widened, couldn't believing he had the audacity to take his eyes off of me so nonchalantly.

"You monster!" I yelled, quickly limping at him with my knife. I let my anger completely control me as I tried to stab him straight on with my blade, but he caught my wrist without much effort. I shouted as I tried to push my hand harder against his hold on me only to result in a slight wobbling of his grip.

"Levi!" I heard Farlan call out behind me, ignoring him.

"It's fine. Stay where you are."

Seeing him be so calm about this only filled me with more rage, so I took my other hand and used it to add more force to the back of the knife.

"You're gonna pay for what you did to my family you bastard." I fumed. He looked at me with half-lidded eyes then looked down. I knew he saw my injured leg, but before I could react, he kicked my good leg so hard it caused me to lean on my right, making me shriek in pain and fall to the floor.

"GAH! Damn you!" I screamed. My heart was racing and it felt like the blood inside of me was boiling. My eye caught my dagger to my left, but my enemy grabbed it before I could even start to reach for it. I looked up at him in defeat and watched as he examined my knife, noticing the emblem at the end. His face turned to a look of understanding as if something he speculated had been verified.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I looked up at the man who I saw all those years ago stand by the sidelines as I watched my brother get beaten, feeling as helpless as I did back then. He was holding the knife my father had given me, running his fingers by its side and handle.

"Where did you get this?" he asked after turning his attention to me. I glared at him with fire in my eyes.

"That's none of your damn business." I attempted to get up, but the pain on both my legs was too great.

"Levi- bro!" Isabel yelled behind me and the two of us looked at her.

"While I was training with my gear I fell on her and injured her leg. We brought her here so we could fix it." she explained. "You know her?"

Levi glanced at the knife and to my surprise dropped it on the floor next to me.

"She's the daughter of Merard Faust, former head of the Viper gang."

He paused, blinked, then looked at me. "I've seen her before, three years ago. The same gang attempted to kidnap her and her brother to export them into the human trafficking business."

My eyes widened in disbelief, surprised that he remembered the exchange so vividly; however, that didn't stop me from picking up my dagger and pointing it at him.

"The same gang? You mean your gang?" I countered. "I saw you that day, you came and left with the rest of the thugs. Then you pigs ambushed and killed my father and mother like cowards!" I cried. I felt the tears start to collect in my eyes and tried my best to hold them in. The man gave me a cold stare and wasn't the least bit swayed.

"I had nothing to do with the murder of your parents. The day you were attacked, I was fulfilling a favor I owed. Besides that, I've had no other exchanges with the Viper gang."

"What? No, you're lying!"

"What reason have I to lie? You're on the ground already."

"What…?" I whispered to myself with incredulity. I lowered my knife and set it on my lap, then hung my head over it. I knew this explained why he seemed distant from the rest of the gang during the attack and how I didn't spot him when seeing the group in our old home, but for some reason a part of me didn't want to believe it. I supposed it was because he was the only face I remembered from the Viper gang since he stuck out like a sore thumb the day I noticed him. To me, he was the face of the group who killed my parents.

"Oi." I heard him call and looked back with brooding eyes.

"Can you walk?"

I felt my unbandaged leg and only nodded while I slowly got up on my feet.

"I'll ignore the fact that you dirtied the floor and sofa. If you can walk now, you can leave."

"W-Wait, Levi! We just fixed up her leg and you kicked her badly just now.

Don't you think we should let her rest for a-"

"I'm fine, Farlan." I spoke over him sternly while walking to the door. "I was on my way out anyway. I need to get to my brother."

"Oh?" Levi questioned behind me.

"Your brother is still alive?" I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around abruptly.

"Yes, of course he's alive. Why wouldn't he be?" I asked angrily.

"I've been told some radical members of the Viper gang are currently hunting the two of you down."

"What?" I asked out loud. I knew being caught by the the gang would've been dangerous, but I didn't know they took it as far as to hunt us down. "Why would they do that?"

"They have a system where each member has to give a portion of their profit to the higher-ups, like a tax, if you will. Of course the head of the gang gets a large share, but when Faust resigned he failed to collect his final pay."

"Because he didn't want anything more to do with the gang…" I thought, sadly. He continued.

"There's a specific rule regarding your situation: any descendants of the former head can collect the money previously owed to him, out of respect. Gang members know this and the people who think your father a traitor don't want you or your brother getting a single cent of it." He paused with a breath. "If you want your brother still breathing, you shouldn't leave him alone long."

I stared at him with terror in my eyes before I bolted out the door, running as fast as my injured legs could take me. I heard Isabel call out to me to wait, but I ignored her and kept moving. If what he said was true, leaving Killian alone for as long as I did had to be the worst thing I could possibly do. I wouldn't have left him for a second if I knew how much danger we were actually in.

Frantically making my way down the road, I passed the bread I recently dropped but paid no attention to it. I ran through street vendors who yelled and cursed at me, but all I could do was continue to drag my feet onward, not feeling a hint of guilt whatsoever. I felt the blood of my initial wound begin to soak through the bandage because of the pressure I was exerting on it, and by the time I arrived at the shack it had completely come through. I couldn't have cared less as I walked over to the back, feeling my rapid heart plummet to the floor when I saw the wooden plank removed and the frame wide open.

Trying to keep myself calm by taking heavy breaths, I walked into our shack slowly to see a horrifying scene. In front of me was Killian being held by a tall, young thug who looked to be about my age. He had a knife up to my brother's throat, ready to slit it without a moment's notice.

"Karlyn!" Killian called out to me in a body-chilling cry.

"Shut up! Say another word and this knife goes through your throat." Killian shut his mouth, and the only sound coming from him was his sniffling and efforts to keep himself from bawling out. Tears were streaming down his face and his entire body was trembling in fear, as was mine.

"You there." The man called out to me, but I couldn't peel my eyes off the knife that was so close to my brothers fragile neck.

"Slide your knife on the floor to me or your brother gets it." My eyes widened when I realized he noticed the knife in its sack, and it was then that I knew everything was over. Despite my panic, I tried to calculate the situation in my head as fast as I possibly could.

"If I don't give him the knife, he'll kill Killian." I thought. "If I surrender my knife and what that Levi-guy said was true, he will probably kill both of us afterwards. So…" I looked up at the man keeping my brother hostage and studied him. Since he was much taller than Killian, his upper body and face were exposed.

"If I could quickly grab the knife and aim at his neck…"

"Hey, you! You hear me! Give me the damn knife!" The man barked.

I looked up at him with a raging heat in my eyes then steadily began to reach for the handle of my dagger.

"Karlyn! Please help me! I don't wanna die!" Killian began wailing, not being able to keep it in anymore. Drops of tears fell from his face onto the ground like rain, and mucus from his nose was trailing into his mouth. His thick, brown hair was sticking to his forehead messily because of his sweat. It was a heart wrenching scene to see, but I knew I had to keep my cool in this situation in order for the both of us to stay alive.

"Hey, what did I say about talking, you little shit?" The knife inched closer to Killian's flesh.

"Karlyn! I'm scared!"

"Shut up! Slide the knife over!"

"Karlyn!"

Drops of sweat started to drip down my own face from the heat of the stand-off. I wanted to believe that my skills were good enough to save Killian, but I've never had to use them in a high stakes situation like this; I've only practiced in controlled environments. However, I knew relying on myself was the only chance to get the both of us out of here alive. I grabbed the end of my dagger and pulled it out, revealing its sharp blade.

"Good, now drop it on the ground and kick it over." my brother's kidnapper ordered.

"Karlyn, no!" I looked up at my grieving brother and tried to give him a subtle, reassuring smile.

"Everything is going to be okay, Killian. Just don't move and do as this man says." He understood immediately and slowly nodded his trembling head. I lowered my knees to make it look like I was going to place my knife on the ground, but right when the thug seemed sure I was going to give it, I quickly stood up, arched my back with my hand over my head, and launched my dagger at him. He let out a short scream when he saw the blade flying towards him, and it was at this moment when everything seemed to slow down. I watched as he panicked and placed his own knife closer to Killian, creeping on his skin.

"NO!" I began to run at my little brother, but by the time my dagger met with the thug's neck, he managed to get a small cut on Killian's.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" I gasped, sliding to where his body was dropped. Blood was pouring out of the gash on his neck, and his eyes were rolling up to its sockets. I whimpered, pushing down on his neck like Farlan had done to my leg.

"Killian, you're not going to die, okay? It's going to be okay, it'll be okay…" I sobbed, feeling like I was telling myself that rather than him. He gave no response and his pupils were completely out of sight.

"F-Farlan can help." I tried to reassure myself. Taking the bandage he gave me off my leg, I wrapped it around Killian's neck then lifted him up in my arms. Before leaving the shack, I ripped my knife out of the neck of the disgusting man, twisting it inside him first to assure he was dead and in the lowest level of hell. I ran out, carrying my brother's limp body through the streets of the Underground. My leg was bleeding out but I couldn't have cared less because everything was numb. People only glanced at me when I hurried past, treating me like a normal sight. When I got to the home I previously visited, I swiftly made my way up the stairs and slammed through their front door. Sitting on the couch was Farlan and Isabel while Levi was sitting by the dining table, cleaning his knife with a white cloth. Upon my arrival, they all looked up at me with surprised eyes.

"Karlyn! What in the world…?"

"Farlan! Please help my brother!" I begged him with wide eyes, setting Killian down on the ground.

"Wait, what happened?"

"When I came to our home a thug was holding a knife to his neck and he told me to give him my dagger but I tried to kill him first by throwing it but I wasn't fast enough and-"

"Tch." Levi interrupted, slamming his knife on the table and getting up angrily.

"Who do you think we are? Get that thing out of here." he commanded, looking at Killian.

"Levi-bro..." Isabel called, surprised.

In my hysteria, I looked up at him with exasperation and blood-shot eyes, running over to apprehend him when Farlan placed his arm under my own to stop me.

"How dare you!" I screamed with tears flying from my cheeks. "How can you say that?"

He looked up at me with the same dull expression, not showing a hint of emotion with half-lidded eyes. Looking at him be so unconcerned, I thought that I had truly found the worst monster in the Underground.

"If you told me about the gang earlier, he might have still been alive!" I bellowed, fighting against the arm around me.

"Karlyn! Hey, stop!" Farlan ordered, and I hindered for a moment before ceasing to object his hold. I turned around to look at Killian through the water in my eyes.

"I'm sorry…" he paused for a moment with a look of condolence on his face. "I'm so sorry. But… if his throat was slit, he'd be long dead by now." I whimpered at his bluntness.

"No, no! He's not dead!"

"Karlyn, I'm sorry but-"

"No!" I screamed. "You're wrong! He's not dead!"

Farlan let go of me and I was left alone to look at my brother's limp body. Sobbing, I fell to the ground on my knees and cried over him. Behind me, I heard Isabel say my name but Farlan stopped her from approaching.

"Give her time." he whispered. I heard the two of them back up from me and later sensed a "hmph" as someone made their way up the stairs. I felt alone, wailing over Killian's body. Despite what I said to Farlan, I knew what he said was true. I sat there for what felt like forever, grieving over the loss of my little brother, my only light in this dark, cruel world slowly fading away.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A/N: Hey guys, I'm sorry this chapter is so late and I also apologize for its briefness. College just started and along with my part time job it's been very, very difficult to find time to write. I didn't quit this story, I just need more time to release more chapters. I hope you you enjoy this chapter and I thank those who have stayed with me these past months!

I continued wailing over the corpse of my little brother until there were no tears left in me to cry. Sniveling, I slid my hand over his eyes to close them when I heard a voice behind me.

"Karlyn, I'm sorry about your brother." Farlan consoled. He paused.

"What do you want to-"

"I want to bury him by our old house. Where my whole family used to live." I interrupted harshly. "I didn't get a chance to do the same for my mother and father. For all I know, they're only ashes burnt up with the rest of the random bodies people find. If I couldn't save Killian, the this is the least I could do for him."

"Okay, we can help you with that." I turned around and looked up at Farlan with bloodshot eyes.

"The problem is the gang trying to kill me raided that house, so I can't get anywhere near it." I said with dismay. Farlan nodded slowly and thought for a moment.

"It was the Viper gang, right?"

"Yes…" Hearing their name produced a new type of hatred in me, but at the same time a new fear. I thought I could face them before but it was then when I realized that I was still too weak.

"Well, Levi is pretty respected among the gangs in the Underground. I'm sure he could get them to give him the house for a day." I stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you serious? After what that dirtbag said to me just now?!" I almost yelled, angry that he even suggested such an idea.

"Hey, I know what you think of Levi, but he isn't really like that. He carries himself differently than other people."

"Oh? And that justifies treating my brother like an object?" Farlan sighed.

"I think you took it the wrong way. He already knew your brother was dead and that there was no use trying to save him." He stopped talking when his words cut me like a knife and my eyes began to get watery again. After a few moments, he continued.

"He's just blunt and is good at hiding his emotions. But if we asked about going to your old home, I'm sure he'd go with it."

I glanced at Farlan with a hint of doubt before shifting my gaze to Killian. Right then, burying Killian in the place where he was once happy was all I wanted. If this was the only way to do it, then so be it.

"Okay." I sighed without looking behind at Farlan. His footsteps came in front of me as he made his way to the stairs. I spent a few minutes alone with Killian before he arrived back down with Levi in front of him. The cold man only stared at me with the same dull expression his face always carried.

"Are you well enough to carry him?" he asked me.

"Y-yes, I can." I responded shyly, not able to look him in the eye. It was a bit embarrassing to harass him like I did then ask him for such a favor. I wiped my dripping nose with my arm before lifting Killian's limp body in my arms and getting up. My weak knees buckled from his weight and I was disturbed to feel how stiff he was.

"I've got shovels." I heard to right, seeing Isabel come down carrying the heavy tools. Farlan walked over to her and took one in his hand.

"You guys…" I whispered, more appreciative of them then I could express. Farlan and Isabel smiled at me warmly, but Levi only moved his eyes to one side. I couldn't tell if he was mad about what I did to him earlier or if he was accepting my gratitude. I used all my strength to carry Killian as Levi signaled us to leave and we made our way down the stairs. While I was walking down the tan steps, I lost a some of my footing and tripped, almost dropping my brother. I had hoped no one saw but was disappointed when Levi turned his head to me.

"Can you carry him or not?" he asked sternly. Despite his tremendous help, I was still a little annoyed that it seemed like I couldn't do anything right around him.

"I can. I just couldn't see the steps." I replied with a similar tone. He shifted his head back and we all continued walking down a slim path.

The rest of the walk was quiet, the only sound we were making being the grime we stepped on the dirty floor. I occasionally gave Levi directions to let him know where to go. When my house was in sight, I panicked and hid behind one of the nearby buildings seeing the gang swarm it like ants.

"Stay here." Levi emerged from the shadows and I watched as he made his way to the house. When he got to the front door, a tall, buff man approached him angrily, looking like he was threatening him. Levi only stood there, undaunted by the huge man. A few moments later, another man who was older than the first came rushing out the building and put himself between Levi and the other thug. He seemed to be apologizing as he dismissed the bodyguard and talked to Levi diplomatically. When Levi began talking, the older man looked surprised and reluctant at first but then nodded when Levi seemed to have mentioned something of importance. In only a few minutes, the leader had all of the thugs vacate the building. Some of them glared at Levi but I could tell he was returning it. I recognized a lot of the men coming out but was too scared too look at them for too long, worried they would see me. Once the house was cleared, the man and Levi said a few more things to each other before he left. Afterwards, Levi entered the building and in about ten minutes he came out and signaled us to come in.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 _A/N: Hey everyone, here's chapter 8! I just_ _wanted to quickly thank those who have continued reading this story and supporting it. That's it, enjoy!_

Farlan, Isabel, and I treaded carefully through the dim street after Levi motioned us to come over. I hesitantly looked around after each step, afraid a thug would sneak in and attack me. As I was getting closer to the house, I could see just how much damage the gang had dealt on it. There was chunks of wall missing from the outside and our front door was completely removed. Our front yard where I once swept was now covered in dirt and garbage. When we arrived inside, I wasn't shocked by what I saw because it was exactly as bad as I had imagined it. My previous home was barely recognizable, being so dirty and wreaked as it was. The kitchen was filthy with suspicious stains and broken cabinets, and our dining table was completely removed. A table once filled with family portraits and belongings now held knives and clubs and there were too many random holes in the wall to count. The only thing I noticed that was the same was the punching bag my father gave me all those years ago. It was moved from my room to the living room and from the looks of it, the thugs put it into good use.

Even though this house was inanimate, I wanted to cry seeing it as its present state. So many good memories were made here that seeing it be trashed like that made it all the more depressing. I knew Isabel noticed when she called to me and apologized in condolence. I didn't have the will to say anything back as I sauntered towards our backyard.

Levi opened the door to reveal a small yard at the opposite end of our house that was filled with dirt. My mother once attempted to garden vegetables and herbs here, but without sunlight almost nothing could be grown. When we were all outside, I set Killian on the ground and grabbed a shovel from Isabel's hand, as did Farlan. When we began digging, I noticed Farlan taking out much more earth than me so I used up the last of my strength to try and keep up. These three were doing so much for me and Killian that I felt so useless. First I wasn't strong or fast enough to save him, and now I had these strangers helping me bury his dead body.

My eyes widened. I wasn't good enough. I thought I was. The only reason Killian was dead was because of my incompetence. If I had only thrown that knife harder, he would still be alive. He would be here right now, and I wouldn't be digging his grave. My grip on the black handle loosened as I suddenly dropped my knees to the ground. Tears started to flood my face when I looked behind me, staring intensely at his dead body.

"Killian!" I cried out, almost screaming. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I wasn't strong enough!" Mucus from my nose ran down my face with the tears and I coughed after almost choking on my saliva.

"Tch!" Levi scolded behind me. "Keep it down!" I could only look at him with my tear filled eyes. I was done pretending to be strong around him.

"It's all my fault! If I had only been stronger he'd still be here!" I cried. Levi's eyes only slightly widened.

"I told him everything would be alright, but I let him die. He's dead because of me. It's all my faul-"

"It isn't." he interrupted, eyes to one side. I stopped yelling in surprise.

"You tried your best and it didn't work. I know for a fact you gave everything you had to save your brother. That was you at your greatest, and it didn't work." he looked directly at me. "The only thing you can do now is expand your limit of power and get stronger."

His words cut me like a knife and I understood exactly what he meant. I never would have been strong enough to save him. I learned about the Viper gang hunting us too late. Nothing else would have forced me to continue to develop my skill since I thought I was already good enough.

Wiping my wet nose and eyes, I gave Levi a stern look in understanding and continued to dig after picking up my shovel. Farlan and Isabel gave me a steady stream of comforting words while we were digging which I greatly appreciated. When we were finally done, I picked up Killian's body and kissed his forehead before placing him carefully in the hole. Levi had found a wooden board that we used to put on top of him and covered it with dirt. Silently saying my goodbyes, I used my shovel to cover the grave with the last bit of dirt and smoothed it out. I wanted to put some sort of engraving to commemorate my brother, but I knew that it was a terrible idea and I had to be content with a plain grave one would give an animal.

A few moments of silence passed before the four of us exited the building. Before leaving, I wanted to take a few things but Levi was against it since he told the head thug that nothing would be taken. Despite this, I snagged a small, ripped up garment which I concluded was one of my old training gloves. I knew I didn't have any practical use for it, but I needed a remembrance from my good life in order to push on in the future.

"Hey Karlyn," Isabel called next to me. I faced her and nodded in acknowledgement. We were now walking back to where we came from, even though I knew I had overstayed my welcome. My brain was too dead to think about where I was going to go next.

"Where did you and your brother live? After the house we were at?"

"We lived in an abandoned shack we found after our parents were killed. I thought we were well- hidden but," I paused, "I guess not."

"Are you going back there now?"

"What? No, if I ever go inside there again I'm going to throw up. Also, there's a dead guy in there."

Before Isabel could express her surprise, Farlan interrupted after overhearing our conversation.

"Where are you going to go now?" he asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

"I'm haven't thought about it too much yet. Earlier I was thinking I'd go to the other side of the Underground where I could get away from the gang and maybe get a job."

"Don't waste your time." Levi cautioned in front of us. "The Viper gang is all around the Underground. If you go to the east side with no idea what to expect, you'll stick out like a sore thumb and they'll find you easily. Now that you've killed one of their own, they're going to come after you like a pack of dogs."

The very thought scared me to death and even elicited a shiver out of me. I could only reply with a small "oh" as we kept walking since that was the only idea I had thought of.

"Levi." Farlan called out and walked faster in order to be next to him. "What if she lived with us?" My eyes widened in surprise.

"Ooooh, that'd be great!" Isabel agreed excitedly, nodding frantically.

"What? No, no I couldn't do that." I shook my head. "You've already done way too much for me. I know I've overstayed my welcome with you guys." Farlan looked back at me.

"Karlyn, nowhere in the Underground is safe for you right now. Where we live, there isn't any Viper gang members since its mostly Levi's territory and they respect that. You can join our gang and be protected."

"Wait, wait, did you just say you're in a gang?" I asked in confusion.

"Oh, I guess we forgot to mention that." he replied, scratching his head.

"Huh?! So Isabel, you-?"

"Yup! It's why I'm trying to learn how to use ODM gear."

My jaw dropped as everything started to make sense. It didn't take me long to realize that Levi was probably their leader. This whole time I thought he was an ex-gang member when in reality he just started his own. All of a sudden this whole "living with them" idea just got a lot less appealing. I wanted to be safe against gangs, but the last thing I wanted to do was join one.

Farlan sensed my thoughts and quickly added that their gang wasn't like the Vipers.

"We avoid killing people and we don't participate in the trafficking business at all. We just commit petty theft to help needy people down here who need a job."

"Uh, I don't know…"

We arrived at the connected buildings where they lived and Levi, Farlan, and Isabel started to walk up the steps while I stayed behind, still doubtful. I noticed a small lantern hanging by the door that emitted a faint light.

"Karlyn, are you coming?" Isabel called out.

"I'm not sure about this… I never thought I'd join a gang and I'm not even sure Levi would let me." I tried to avoid eye contact with him.

Isabel and Farlan both glanced at Levi who had slightly turned around to look at me. I felt his sharp eyes penetrate my own, causing me to shift my gaze slightly in intimidation. For a second he just stared before saying, "clean your own space," and walking inside, causing me to blink in confusion.

"That means yes." Farlan warmly smiled. Despite the good news, I was still hesitant. Did I really want to join a gang? They very people I thought I hated? These three have been unbelievably nice to me, but I wasn't sure what being in a gang entailed.

"Karlyn," Farlan said in a friendly tone, "I understand your impression on gangs but ours isn't like all the other ones. You don't have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, we just want to keep you safe."

"Wow…" I whispered my breath, taken aback by what he said. The amount of hospitality they were providing me with was inconceivable. I knew there was no way this gang could be incredibly malicious after what I've seen demonstrated by their members that day. Inhaling, I looked at the world behind me that was filled with darkness. After thinking for a moment, I knew what was best for me. I turned back around and after exhaling, took one step towards the dim light.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A little more than a month has passed since I moved in with Levi, Farlan, and Isabel in their abode. I still couldn't believe how much generosity they had to give me a living space, but I was eternally grateful. I was given a small bedroom on the second floor of the house where there was a small twin size bed and a dresser. On top of the dresser was a cup with a candle in it that I used to light up the room. Unlike my old home, there was a small window I could look through to see a small portion of the Underground which consisted of streets and the roofs of some buildings. Being higher up made the small city seem prettier than it really was, like a mirage. All of the new resources I have had access to because of the three seemed surreal. I was finally able to eat real food that wasn't half spoiled, and I had a place to sleep that didn't feel like I was breaking my back every single night. It reminded me a lot of home. I had only hoped that Killian could've been here to experience it. In return for all of their hospitality, I tried to do as much as I could around the house like cooking meals for them and cleaning. It was the least I could do since I didn't want to get involved in their gang business.

Since I've moved in, I had very seldomly gone outside in fear of the gang coming after me. I was too traumatized by the events that had unfolded during previous years to step out into the world as much as I had before. The only times I had left the building were when I was wearing a thick hooded cape and was accompanied by one of my three new acquaintances. My relationships with Farlan and Isabel have gone along swimmingly because of their benevolence, and I even got a little excited when we went to the market together to gather food and other supplies. We joked around a lot and they were a tremendous help during my grieving process.

Throughout the month, I have only left my new home with Levi once. I was cooking a meal for everyone when Farlan and Isabel were out practicing with their gear. Whenever I was alone with Levi I felt a tinge uncomfortable since there had always been an awkward aura around us. I was sure he sensed it as well since he mostly kept to himself when we were together. On that day, to my surprise, he came up to me and checked the stew I was making.

"You've used up everything in the kitchen."

Turning my head slightly, but without directing my attention away from the stew, I apologized reluctantly.

"I just thought everyone would like something to eat when they got back."

He stood there for a moment before walking away and I was relieved to have left his presence; however, it was short lived when I heard him calling from the door.

"Hurry up. We're going out."

Startled, I turned around to see him grabbing his knife and a sack of money. I was astounded that this was happening.

"I'm fine staying here, you can go by yourself." I replied almost desperately, trying to get out of the situation. He changed his gaze to me and I was slightly taken aback.

"You've been doing most of the cooking around here, so you'll know what we need."

With this, I knew any further disagreeing with him would get me nowhere, so I silently sighed as I fixed a lid onto the top of the pot and blew out the fire. Upon tying my hair with a ribbon and putting on my hood, Levi and I set out into the city. While we walked through the streets in silence, I rested my hand on the satchel attached to my belt to make sure my dagger was there. I never left without it for obvious reasons. This past month I have also been practicing with my knife in my room for future encounters. I was determined above all else to become stronger and more skilled in combat.

"This way." Levi motioned through a narrow alleyway. I squinted my eyes in confusion.

"I thought the shop was the other way." I questioned, remembering past trips with Farlan and Isabel.

"We're not going there. There's a farmers market today because of a shipment from the surface."

"The surface…?" I thought to myself, realizing I haven't thought about the idea in a long time since I've been confined into my own personal hell. It reminded me of the hopeful days, days that would never come back. I knew there was no way I would ever be able to set a single foot on the ground above, but it actually didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. Even though the Underground is a terrible, horrendous place to live, everything I cared about was here. The Viper gang was still after me but I knew that with enough time it would eventually die down.

Whilst in my own thoughts, I barely noticed that we had made it to the market. There were a few stands with vendors endorsing their own products. To my liking, there were actually fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other goods on the table. Upon closer inspection, I realized some of the products have gone bad, but it was still a nice sight after only seeing jars of preserved goods for a long time.

"Have a bag and choose what you want!" One of the vendors called out to me and handed me a small sack. I glanced over to Levi who nodded and went off to one of the other stands. Ecstatic, I looked for the best goods by examining them carefully and placing them in the pouch. Knowing Levi was paying for the items, I wanted to make sure that they were of the best quality. I picked out produce that I remembered making at home and even got things that looked delicious and I wanted to experiment with. Not long after, I saw Levi return with his own merchandise that looked like some sort of tea. I was excited to show him what I had gotten for our home.

"I got the best vegetables I could find. I already know what I'm going to make with-"

"Tch." he interrupted to my great dismay, looking through the sack. "How much shit did you get?"

My eagerness died down at a great speed by his reaction. I expected him to be happy with my choices but, like always, I couldn't meet his standards.

"What?" was all I managed to say with incredulity.

Instead of replying, he snatched the bag from my hand and gave it to the street vendor.

"How much, old man?"

He went through my bag, counting each item and writing it down on a piece of paper.

"That'll be 40 silver pieces."

My eyes widened in shock as I stepped in front of Levi to talk to the man.

"40? Isn't that a bit steep?" I tried to reason in disbelief. I had no idea that it would come out to that much money.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but shipment from the surface doesn't come cheap."

"But-"

"Forty pieces, no discounts."

I stood there, mouth agape at the street vendor. I knew that he wasn't going to budge by the tone of his low voice.

"Okay." I sigh in defeat. "I'll just put some stuff back then."

Before I could take the bag back from the man, I heard metal rattling and turned my head to see Levi reaching into his pouch with dark eyes and taking out silver coins. Quickly counting them, he handed it to the vendor.

"That enough?" I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"Wait, Levi-"

"Yes, you two are good to go." the man said with a now happy tone of voice after counting the money himself. "Thank you for your business."

As he extended the merchandise back to me, I paused for a second before grabbing it after realizing that Levi had already begun leaving the market. I caught up to him in a second but only followed close behind since I didn't want to walk right next to him in embarrassment. We continued like that in silence for a good amount of the walk back to our home. I knew I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what. I was not expecting him to pay for it at all; instead, I thought he would tell me to put it all back in anger like a father speaking to his child.

"Levi…" I started. He didn't bother to look back at me. "Thank you."

I was saddened to see no reaction from him, but upon looking at the ground with unease, I heard him sigh and say with his usual sharp tone, "Put it to good use."

I looked up at him with astonished eyes. A half smile slowly crept onto my face when I replied with an "okay." At this moment, my relations with Levi had changed. He completely lost the first impression I initially had for him, and instead a friendlier tone developed between us. I was so happy that for once, I was finally beginning to understand him.


End file.
